Polypropylene Stenting in Revision Dacryocystorhinostomy: a Prospective Study

Objective: This study was done to evaluate the clinical efficacy of polypropylene for stenting in endoscopic revision dacryocystorhinostomy. Patients and methods: Revision endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy operation was performed in 10 patients (4 men and 6 women) between 2009 and 2014.After recreating an aperture in the medial wall of the lacrimal sac, 2/ 0 polypropylene suture material was inserted through both upper and lower canaliculi into the sac and both the ends were knotted in the nasal cavity. The polypropylene was left in the lacrimal sac for 3 months. The patients were followed up for 6 months. Based on the improvement in the complaint of epiphora, they were grouped as good improvement, partial improvement and no improvement. Results: In 8 patients (80%) improvement was good, whereas improvement was partial in 1 patient (10%), and there was no improvement in 1 patient (10%). Granulation tissue formation around the polypropylene was seen in one patient. Conclusion: Polypropylene can be used successfully in endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy as an alternative to silicone stent. Polypropylene suture material is cheap, effective, and readily available in all operating theaters.